New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-01-02
,SHERM1N IND LOG1N.

The personal relations of the chief military
| heroes of the war were seldom clOuded with
| jealousy and strife. General Grant made many
enemies in civil life, but in camp and on the
field he enlisted the loyal support and devoted
friendship of lis companions in arms. Unsnc-
cessful commanders were drawn into heated
| controversies in futile attempts to retrieve
their regulations or to explain their failures !;
| and the bravest and manifest soldiers some
times quarrellcd with and intrigued against
| one another But as rule the conduct and re-
lations of tho great actors in that military
drama were char acterized by chivalrOus friend
| ship and magnanimous fOrbearance. Probably
there never was campaign which left behind
| in the memories of the leaders and heroes OF
camp and field fewer scars of private resent
ment, personal pickering and disappointed
| ambition.
The private correspondence between General
Sherman and General Logan respecting
critical passage in tho formers Memoirs bears
out these predatory remarks on the nObler traits
of American soldiers. In this correspondence,
published for the first time in THE tribune
day, there are Illuminating flashes revealing
character. General Sherman, with his usual
candor and honesty of purpose, had felt called
recommending General Howard in preference
to General Logan as General McPherson's cue
cessor in command of the Army of the Ten
nessee. General Logan by virtue of seniority of
service expected the appointment and was
soreIy disappointed when the coveted honor
went to another. His sense of injustice was
again excited when General Sherman in his
Memoirs referred to the political fortunes of
the volunteer generals. But the gallant soldier
neither in the field nor in public life cherished
a vestige of resentment. When General Sher-
man was about to retire from the army
in 1883, General Logans eulogy upon the
noble qualities of his commander was the
heartest and most aztec iOnate as well rs the
most eloquent that was anywEe delivered.
This magnanimous speech gave rise 10 the
interesting correspondence now published.
General Sherman, touched by the warmth of
this glowing tribute from one on whom he
had doubtless inflicted pain, made a generous
effort TO explain his structures upon General
Logan. With his scrupulous ideas respecting
the necessity for PLAIN speaking. he found it i'm
pOssble to recast what had been honest inI-
pressionS. In the friendliest spirit he reviewed
the circumstances of the appointment of Cen
eral Howard, and declared that the absence OF
Generals Logan and Blair from camp on politl.
cal missions in the North had piejudiced him
against them. General Logan's reply seems to
have convinced rather obstinate critic that
misunderstanding had existed. He showed that
his political canvasscs had not been made on his
own behalf, but at the request OF those high in
authority and that his absence from camp
after the Atlanta campaign was caused by
President Lincoln's urgent request that he
should go North and take part i'll the PresldcD-
tial contest. This fact he had never before
made public, prcfeuing to have his ow
motives misrepresented rather than turn crit
icism on the dead"
{. 1t is not strange that with this letter in his
possession General Sherman now makes haste
to repair the wrong which he unwittngy had
done to his brave companion in arms. He sends
the corrcsp Ondence to the Editor OF TIE TRm
UNE with burning expressions of admiration
and reverence for his dead friend. whom he
eulOgizcs as the strongest typc OF the vOlun-
teer soldier" Certainly no more genuine
token of the nobility Of General Logan's char
acier has been furnished than tins calm, di gni-
fed and chivalrous letter.